Standing in the Shadow
by Lost-Remembrance
Summary: Heero and Relena have been betrothed to one another since birth. Yet when an old evil that threatens both of their kingdoms resurfaces, one of the two disappears, will the ties that bind them turn to something else? Swan-Princess Parody Discontinued.
1. The Beginning

Title: Standing in the Shadow  
Authoress: Uplifted & Lost-Remembrance (Red Tail)  
Rating: R for later chapters  
Disclaimer: WE DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING! GAH! OR THE SWAN PRINCESS! I just own a jelly-doughnut. Red Tail's got powdered.

_Uplifted_: Well, this is it! We worked for hours for you, after the idea hit me like a soda can. Or well, the soda can hit, then the idea. Our first joint fic! Imagine! Or well, don't...  
**Red Tail**: Well, yes. Quite weird comparision's she has, doesn't she?  
_Uplifted_: I wanted to spell him Hiro! She wouldn't let me ;; It looks so much cuter that way!  
**RT**: Gr...as you can see, my reader's may like the way I spell it. anyhow, i let you have your way. I still love HEERO glomps  
_Uplifted_: Actually...Oh! Are they still reading? Well, here you go folks! ENJOY AND REVIEW!

Chapter One  
_by Uplifted_

Once upon a happy summer, the Kingdom of Scilla, previously heir-less, welcomed a beautiful baby princess into it's domain, the aged queen giving birth in the early morning hours. The kingdom rejoyced along with it's king, even as the queen faded from the world from the harsh birthing. The wailing of the infant could be heard through out the stone halls of the castle, and the king, though learned he was on the ways of foreign diplomats, had no notion of how to deal with a baby girl.

The neighboring kingdom of Ellis had a young queen who already had one young child under her care, and was called for assistance. The queen agreed to help the aging king, and set out with her young son in tow to meet the young princess and to advise the king on ways of child-rearing.

The traveling royalty arrived at the palace on the night of the princess' receiving ball, as each royal of the King's court gave the baby a gift. The prince, barely a year old, was being held in his mother's arms as they waited in the reception line. His stormy prussian eyes glared at the bright lights and jovial music that swept through the hall. As the young queen neared the baby's golden cradle, the king came into view, standing proudly next to his only daughter, who slept peacefully. The queen curtsied, and the little prince blinked at the blonde thing in the cradle he was supposed to be greeting.

"Good evening, your majesty. I trust your daughter is well?" the diplomatic queen asked, gown swaying with her figure as she rose from her curtsy.

The king smiled and nodded, adding, "She's in fine health today, though I confess I know nothing of how to care for a child. But I am hoping you will help in that area?" He asked shrewdly, and then turned to watch as the young Prince Hiro dangled a golden locket from his child-like finger into the cradle. The young princess awoke, and her blue eyes became captivated by the shiny metal. She reached for it with her small fingers, stretching her arm over the white satin and lace gown she had been dressed in. The queen dipped the young prince closer, and the King watched on, as Hiro gave the young princess the chain and locket, which she promptly stuck in her mouth. Gurgling happily, the baby smiled at the young prince, who narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in an inquisitive angle towards the happy baby. The King and Queen shared a small, secret smile above the tot's heads, and in both their minds, a plan had begun to form.

The queen took Prince Hiro away as nobles began to cough politely behind her in the reception line, and the two foreigners watched the rest of the line curiously, Hiro casually sucking on his shirt, and the Queen eyeing the other noblemen and women who greeted the young heiress to the throne. One man engaged her mind fully, as she watched a slightly aged man in blue shirt-tail and leggings approach the King, his hair gray and his mustache pointed. The king did not shake hands with this man, nor did he allow him to touch the baby. The man carried his own niece in his hands, a pale baby with sharp eyes and oddly forked eyebrows. The queen thought the man familiar, with a malicious air about him that made her recoil with her child in her arms. As the night wore on, and the line continued, the baby began to cry, first in hiccuping sobs, then in full-throatedness. The queen winced, and briefly looked at her son.

"Nana." He said intelligently, and the queen grinned at her son's words. She picked up Hiro from the refreshment table, where he had been smearing roast boar over his face and the tablecloth, and walked towards the King.

"If I may?" She asked, holding her dress in one hand, and Hiro in the other. The king, holding his hands over his ears, waved her on, and the two peered over the top of the cradle. The baby had turned red with rage, and was screaming.

"Poor thing." The young queen said, and placed Hiro in the cradle with the princess.

The blonde baby stopped mid-yell, startled out of her tantrum when Hiro pulled on her short locks. The Princess Relena frowned and turned away from Hiro, rolling on her chubby side to get away from the hair-pulling demon that had invaded her private space. She rolled back, and stared at the intruder. Hiro stared right back, then sat up and curled his toes together. As he did so, he saw the golden locket he had given the baby princess halfway unseen in the folds of the blanket that the princess laid on.

As his mother and the foreign king conversed on the proper ways of baby-care, the young prince held up the locket once more for the princess's inspection. Happily, as if what she had been missing was found, Relena reached for the sparkly item. The prince solemnly gave it back, unknowing that his parent and the king had seen the display. The two went a bit away, and started to discuss the future of their kingdoms, wondering as they did, if the two would be this friendly when they were of age.

As the two monarchs discussed the legal wedding age of their separate countries, baby Relena began to wail once more, and even the Prince set up a howl. The king turned, his heart beating frantically, to see his noble advisor the Duke Dermail with his dark eyes peering down at the two children, and his niece among them, ripping the necklace away from the princess. Hiro, older than the two, was sitting on the pale haired girl, and Relena was wailing at the top of her lungs as the Duke's hand emitted a horrible blue light that seemed to drain the healthiness of her plump young body. The nobles and women of the court had backed away, and some were screaming as blue sparks sprang from the Duke's form.

"DERMAIL!" roared the king, and he stepped forward, hand going to his hilt for a steady sword that always hung there. The young queen lurched forward from her sitting position in her chair, face pale with worry for her child. Relena started crying fat tears that rolled down her cheeks with every passing minute, as the scary glow-up man continued towards her, his hands itching for power.

"Stop there!" the king threatened, his hand drawing the sword with practiced ease. Hiro, in his sitting position on Dermail's niece, noticed his mother with her worried face. He turned back towards the glowing man, then glanced at the young princess who was crying. Again. If babies could be exasperated, Hiro would win the award of the year. As it was, he turned around, and shook his head at the magician. Dermail grinned, and his power-fevered eyes glared at the three children.

"Queen Catherine, today is the day I take back all that should be mine. Today is the day everything you love, everyone you love, will become mine!" He yelled, his hands flying upwards, where the blue sparks set the rope, holding a candelabra, on fire. He glared at the foreign queen, and the king who stood in front of the ashen woman. As the candelabra swayed and threatened to fall, the royal guards of the Queen crept behind the Duke, their swords and shields at ready. With a roar of power and speech, the Duke sent a blue flame towards the ceiling, completely disintegrating the candleholders that were threatening to fall.

As his arms were thrown upward in this power display, the guards rushed him as one, and subdued the evil, glowing man. Relena watched from her cradle, the mean baby under Hiro growling, as the glowing man was crushed under a dog-pile of guards. One guard stood by her cradle with a shield over the child's bed, blocking the rest of the events from her view. Queen Catherine ran from her safe position to her baby, and plucked Hiro from the wailing niece of Dermail, Dorothy.

"Oh Hiro, you're safe." She cried, and buried her head in Hiro's tiny chest, not minding the smeared meat that got in her exquisitely done hair. She held the tiny tot in her arms and cried tears of relief that her baby was safe.

King Argle was surveying his daughter for damage, and was weak with relief that his young daughter had escaped from harm's way. That being thought, he turned to assess Duke Dermail, and wonder at his connection to the queen Catherine. He picked up his infantile daughter, and glared at the young baby Dorothy, who wailed incessantly for her uncle. It seemed that the same traits that the King had disliked in his advisor had been passed onto his niece. He stalked forward to the queen, and although he was exceedingly happy to see the young prince unharmed, he needed to know why his somewhat odious advisor had turned on his guest so suddenly.

"I am sorry, Madam Catherine, for Duke Dermail. He is certainly a Duke no more. If I may ask," he inquired, as he moved the sleepy Relena to his shoulder, "Why was he so murderously intent on your kingdom?"

The queen hugged Hiro tightly to her, and glanced with worried eyes to the King, and then to Duke Dermail.

"I don't think he's ever forgiven me for exiling him to this kingdom for larceny of the treasury." She explained, and continued on to say that the Duke had long harbored a need for power, and her kingdom, though when he left, he had seemed perfectly docile.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know that he'd seek employment here." She said, realizing why the man had looked so familiar to her before. She looked down at her Hiro, and then to the sleeping Relena.

She smiled then.

"I am glad that we were able to meet, King Argle. I suspect that our little ones will meet soon enough? What would you say to next winter, your journeying to my abode?" She asked, bright eyes glinting mischievously. The king nodded, also smiling, as he held the sweetly sleeping Relena.

"You will regret this Catherine! I will have your kingdom one day! One way, or another, that land, and your loved ones, will be mine!" Rang The former Duke Dermail's voice through the hall while several courtiers watched avidly.

"You are hereby exiled from this kingdom!" Exclaimed the king, becoming irate as he looked over the bound magician. Guards from the two kingdoms surrounded the would-be usurper, spears held at his throat at every turn. Dermail began a rant, but the silent and fuming king just pointed towards the door. The soldiers accompanied Dermail to the border.

The young Dorothy was placed in the exiled Duke's care, and his threat faded with his cloaked form, into the night.

End of Chapter One

AN: Hiro's so cute as a baby....And then he grows up. And becomes hot. 'Sex-god' as Red puts it.

So. You like? You like? Tell us! Reviews keep us happy, and when we're happy, you get more chapters!


	2. Vacation fun and Snowball Fights

Uplifted: ::Eats her spagetti noodles:: mmmmmmm. Huh? What?

RT: ::glares:: Hello! We are in the middle of trying to get this story up because YOU asked me when i was gonna read a story on this site! Hmph.

Uplifted: huh. I did? Well I didn't write this chapter, so all I can do is eat my noodles back here. NOODLES! Thanks for the reviews, btw! I made my sister get up early to see how you liked it! ::chomp chomp:: Yum!

RT: Yeah... OO I was up at 1 am.

Uplifted: e.e wasn't my fault. ANYWAY! Please enjoy the second installment of:

Standing in the Shadow

by **Red Tail**

Chapter 2:

The cold wind managed to get through even the tinest of the cracks of the shutters tightly closed on the carriage. A little girl, looking at only the tender age of five, gazed at the closed windows, enchanted slightly by the howling of the winds swarming and rushing at them behind the enclosed cabin.

"Relena?" Relena's father, the King Argle, looked at his youngest and only daughter. "How fair you?" He questioned, concerned for her health in the harsh weather. He couldn't have her sick in bed on vacation with a cold, there was much too much to do!

"I fair well, father." She replied sweetly, brushing a bang that was colored like golden honey away. Her aquamarine eyes shone in the semidarkness of the tight enclosure. She wore layers of clothing, red and white for this time of year. A thick cloak of the finest cotton wrapped around her smaller frame and a blanket kept both her and her father warm.

"That is good," He said with slight relief as he looked at the closed window that hid the winter world from them. He could feel Relena's eyes on him and he looked back at her, smiling as he asked her what was wrong.

"Father, when will we be there?" The king laughed inwardly, even though she was still a princess, children would be children after all. "I do not understand why we have to leave in winter for this." She said almost to herself in a lower whisper.

The sounds of the horses' hooves on the frozen ground hid the silence filling the room. "Relena," The king began. Relena looked up at her father and waited for what he was about to say. "We should be arriving shortly, perhaps you would care to enlighten yourself with a nap? We can refresh ourselves at the castle."

"Yes, father." She obeyed and closed her eyes, relaxing into her seat as best as she could between being jostled and bumped around by the road's roughness. Soon she was off into a pleasant dream for a while, catching up on the sleep missed from the priority to leave early in the morning, before sunrise to be precise.

"Relena…" The king said, lightly shaking his daughter's shoulder as he saw her groggily open her eyes and look at him, slightly dazed. "We're here." He told her and helped her get up stiffly from her position on the seat.

She stretched slightly and then bent down and check to make sure her shoes hadn't been kicked off in her sleep and smiled when she found them still in place. A horse's whinny told her that someone was approaching and she brushed off her gown.

The door opened and Relena blinked as the sun reflected against the winter wonderland the prince's castle had become. She looked at her father and he nodded as she lightly took the hand of coachman as he helped her from the carriage.

"Ah!" The king shouted in recognition, "So good to see you Catherine!" A woman dressed in green smiled as she swept up to him elegantly as if walking on the snow itself. 'She has such grace!' She raised, amazed as she realized that she was also standing lightly on the snow now and looked down, tilting her head.

Her golden tresses glistened in the sun and her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. Last time she had stood on snow…Heero had hit her with a snowball. She wanted to growl at the memory, but decided to brush it off. If she just remembered at the moment, then he certainly wouldn't. That meant pay back!

"Good day, princess." A cool voice drifted along the now silent wind towards her. She raised her head and found herself looking into the ever-so-cold prussian eyes that belonged to none other than the prince, Heero Yuy.

She silently noted how he had grown and was wearing elegant clothes that did nothing to hide his slim body, which was fined to perfection with the muscles he was gaining. His slim body meant that it had long gotten rid of all his baby fat, if he even had any to begin with. His unruly bangs fell messily over his eyes, not bothering to hide the beautiful eyes that she liked the most of him, even if they were at times very cold. He was taller also, then again it had been a while since she had seen him, not that she wanted to or anything.

After the silent examination that she did every year was completed, she nodded her head slightly in return of the gesture. After getting an elbow nudge from her father she exhaled through a forced smile that didn't adore her features at all. "Good day to you," She said, getting another sharper jab. "Prince Heero." She added reluctantly but sighing with relief at no more jabs.

He bowed and she curtsied. The ever-so-known routine was being done yet again, as was every winter. He gently took her hand with a look of disgust as his mother who glared at him but smiled when he kissed it, disdain dripping into his features. His eye twitched and he crossed his arms, turning away from the princess.

'Why me?' Were his thoughts, much close to the princesses own also. 'This is so boring…' He thoughts grimly. Winter was the bleakest months here at the castle. He was lucky if he could find something to do.

Argle looked at the walking away form of the prince and then down at his own daughter, exhaling slowly as he saw his breath cloud before him like smoke. He shook himself to get rid of all exhaustion in his limps from the long journey and bent down, pushing Relena towards the way that the prince left in.

"Father?" She questioned, really not wanting to go after the boy, silently pleading her father to not make her do this. He looked right back at her, unaffected by the puppy dog look in her eyes and she shrugged, looking at the snow that now looked **really** interesting.

"Relena," Her father commanded in the sort of tone that she knew not to argue with. She sighed and then lifted her skirts to a reasonable level, just above her ankles and then took light but full steps towards the way that the heir took off in, the castle looming ahead.

"Shall we go after them?" Catherine asked, biting her nail in the habit she had adapted to when her reckless son gave her a heart attack nearly every day. The last serious episode involved when Heero had decided to jump out of a second story window with his friend and partner in crime, Duo Maxwell.

"Maybe, but perhaps we should wait for a while," He suggested, winking his eyes for her to get the hint. She smiled, nodding in agreement. "Just to give them a head start."

"Yes, wise idea Argle." She smiled at him sweetly and he felt himself slightly weak at the knees. After a moment before they decided it was too cold to say out in such weather, they walked off slowly and side by side towards the castle where both children had run off at.

They heard the laughter of Duo and the screaming of Relena and the clanking of what sounded of metal. Catherine looked worriedly at the man at her side before swiftly walking into the room where all the commotion was.

Here she saw Duo Maxwell on the ground while rolling over in a laughing fit and then Relena with a candleholder in her hand. Heero was no where in sight and the window was wide open. The only problem was that they were on the second story so far. Relena looked quite shaken, the candlestick in her hand quivering slightly from the tremors her body was emitting.

'Oh no…' The Queens thoughts were racing as fast as her heart now. "Heero!" She yelled, rushing towards the window and missing the still laughing Duo Maxwell.

Argle looked at his daughter and then rushed at her, trying to calm her and get information on the prince's whereabouts. Relena looked at him and a scowl took her features, furrowing her brows and stiffening at the mention of Heero.

"That—That- Well--…that…!" She gave up, 'Why should I even bother?' She snorted, turning her head and glaring at the wall coldly.

"Relena, dear," Her father tried once again, "Where did Heero go." He questioned, noticing the lack of response on her part. He sighed and then pulled her off the table.

The Queen knelt beside the shaking form of Duo, who was still in his fit of hysteria. "That Heero!" He howled with laughter. "He really got her!" He laughed, not noticing the dark expression over taking the Queens usually peaceful features.

"Where is my son?" She said through clenched teeth slowly, wonder what it was that he had done.

Duo blinked, regaining his composure and sliding his clown's mask off his face and looking solemnly at the Queen. He sat upright before getting to his feet slowly and dusting his clothing off.

"Well?" The Queen questioned while quirking an eyebrow at the obviously delaying actions.

"Well, uh…Heero got really mad at Relena here 'cause she wouldn't leave him alone and so," He took a breath, his eyes shimmering with checked laughter that wanted to be released.

"What did he do this time?" She sighed heavily, massaging her throbbing temples with a heavy sigh as she tried to relax, already thinking about getting a much-needed massage to release the tension in her muscles.

"Well, he wanted to leave so," He paused again, this time more for drama than for the reaction he wondered the Queen would give, both on him and Heero's part. "He jumped out of the window." He said simply, not even bothering to take in the now ashen features of the naturally peach-tones woman.

"Oh no…" she whispered, Duo grabbing her hand before she rushed over to the window in fear of seeing the dead body of her only heir. His grip seemed to reassure her that she wasn't dreaming, something she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted at the moment.

"But," Duo continued to tell. The Queen looked back at him. "He remembered that he wanted to go to his room, so he just walked right through the front doors again." He explained. "Then," The story continued. "Relena, er—Princess Relena," Relena gave him a nasty look with a glare to include in the package deal. "Screamed when she saw him jump out of the window and she grabbed the candlestick when she saw him walk right by, thinking he was a ghost or something."

The Queen fell back into the chair that Duo offered her and he walked off towards the prince's room, ready to warn him of the punishment sure to be coming.

The Queen stood up stiffly after a short break to regain her thoughts and slow down her heart rate. She patted Relena on the head, telling her the punishment for scaring her would be dearly to her son and walked out of the room briskly.

"Heero," She said coldly as she opened the door to her son's room and saw he was sleeping soundly. She gazed at him for a moment and then looked even harder, bending down to check his pulse to see if he was **really** asleep. His pulse was slow and steady, still oblivious to the world, the child slept on.

The Queen looked at him and then decided to deal with the problem later. She walked back into the room at a more efficient but slower rate and smiled at them. "Currently," She began, "He's asleep and I shall see to it that he is punished later on for this…inconvenience. Shall I send the servants for your luggage as I show you the accommodations you'll have for the moment?"

The nodded and Relena felt more at ease when she stepped into the warm and welcoming room that the Queen always had prepared for her. The servants carrying her luggage quickly set them down, her disposing of her soiled garments and hopping into the warm bed with a smile.

'Queen Catherine is so kind and sweet.' She thought sweetly to herself before realizing that her eyes had closed and she was soon drifting away from the world.

The birds chirping were enough to wake the princess, but instead she had to have the sound of snow hitting glass, the impact sounding very hard and painful to her ears. She covered them, wincing slightly when she realized that there were pieces of ice imbedded into the seemingly fluffy snow.

She scowled at the person's behavior and wiggled her way out of the covers, getting into a red dress and putting on warm garments while getting a warm jacket her father had bought for her to play in during the cold season.

She smirked, today was the day that she would get Heero back for last year. Then she remembered something as she stopped her trek down the hallway. She had thought the same thing the year before, and the year before, and---well…as long as she could remember that she could think it had happened!

'He must have plotted this…!' Relena thought darkly of him as she walked in swift strides towards the table where Heero and Duo were talking and her mother and Heero's father were deep in conversation. She took a chair near Heero, rather sitting next to him than that prankster Duo Maxwell, who grinned at her. She shivered involuntarily as to think of what type of prank they would try today judging by the dark glimmer in the kid's violet eyes.

"Well," The Queen announced after the wonderful breakfast they had shared was finished, "I hope that you children will have fun out in the snow while Relena's father and I have important matter's to discuss."

Heero nodded at this obediently and stood up, grabbing some mittens, a scarf, and a warm jacket to throw over his body. He laced his boots that were for winter and looked at Duo to ensure that he was also ready. The nodded their heads at the same time and then they raced outside, the wind nipping at their faces but the smiles never ceasing.

Relena dashed out after them, only to be caught in the cross fire between the two boys who were having a snowball fight that would make the first World War look like a chicken versus a turkey.

Relena quickly made her way away from the line of fire and joined in, giggling as she managed to make a few hits of each of the boys. 'Maybe this won't be so bad as last year…' Relena wondered to herself with a small smile on her face when she realized that Heero and Duo weren't so cruel as the last years they had spent together.

Yes, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all…

TBC

Authoress' note:

RT: Please review, we got this chapter out early for the people who reviewed. Thank you for those who did for the support. Um...well, i hope that y'all liked it and hopefully the next chapter will be out soon (gotta work on my other fics too...)

Thanks!

Red Tail and Uplifted


	3. Tears and I can't Believe it's Butter!

Standing in the Shadow (SITS)

Chapter 3/?

Authoresses: Uplifted and LostRemembrance

AN:

_Uplifted_: Hiya! Sorry for the delay, school kept us busy. But if you review, I promise to nag my sister to upload faster! And write longer! But, but, guess what! I got really good grades. It's the first good thing that has to do with grades in a long, long x long time. -

**RT**: Sings Christmas Carols in the background This is the first time in a long time she beat me. Only cause she had me vocab book in HER backpack. I looked hell and high water for that! hisss

_Uplifted_: That is SO not true. I beat you because I'm better. Well, we're going to get a Christmas tree tonight, (The first in a year, so Yay!) And our brother's been hospitalized for an illness. But other than that, the season is really flying by!

**RT**: Well, enjoy the new chapter! Mine'll be better.

_Uplifted_: HEY!

Standing in the Shadow

Chapter 3

by_ Uplifted_

Relena huffed the air happily as the snow fell, and the white flakes were caught in her dark green shawl. Her heavily padded hands patted the snow-person she was making, and her face had a happy smile on it, the cheer evident on her face enough to melt the unfortunate snow flakes that landed on her face. After she had finished her fat snow-man, she stuck her tongue out in the air to catch some of the edible cold stuff. Just as she was about to add her scarf to the snow-man's cold neck, she heard a _whump_ behind her. She turned, hair swirling in the cold air, to see-

A snowball?

She gasped in understanding, and yelled out a 'Hiro!' before her face was covered in cold white powder. She shrieked as someone sneaked behind her and stuck slush down her back. Whirling around, she caught the end of a short brown braid.

'DUO!' She yelled, face red with exertion and cold. She yanked the offending hair in her hand, and he yelped, tears coming to his eyes. Suddenly ashamed, she let go, and Duo rubbed his head and glared at the princess.

She glared as well. 'Why did you _do_ that?' She nearly screamed, mittened hands rubbing her back viciously as Duo glared daggers at the person who made his friend miserable winter after winter.

'Why d'you think?!' He yelled back. 'Because you're stupid, and I hate your guts!' the normally cheerful boy said. The girl stood still, and then fled into the surrounding woods, barren of color except for the pastel gray of the bark, and the pristine white of undisturbed snow.

Hiro, who had been hiding behind a snow-drift, went to the flaring Duo.

'Are you alright?' He asked, his eyes concerned for his friend. Duo nodded, then turned back to her snowman. The young boy was tempted to kick it in, but Hiro stopped him with a quick shake of his head. Shrugging, the braided boy picked up a clod of snow, and tossed it at his friend and playmate, Hiro Yuy.

Hiro jovially tossed the snow back and forth between hands before flinging it at his friend. The two played for hours before trudging back into the castle for some hot cocoa from the motherly cook.

Relena hadn't stopped running for a long time. Finally, a hidden snow drift caught her round the middle, and she was forced to crawl out, her heavy garments making it harder to move as they became soaked with melting snow. Relena sat down on the cold hard ground under an evergreen tree where the cold snow hadn't yet penetrated the thick branches. Hugging her knees to her chest through the undergarments, underskirts, and main skirt was no small task, but the frozen clothing warmed her skin after they warmed from her body heat. Her eyes were hot and teary, and her nose was stuffy and red as hot salty tears slid down her face. More out of habit than comfort, she clutched a small locket that she had had for ages, and sighed. This was only the seventh time she had come to Queen Catherine and Hiro's domain, and as much as she adored the queen, was as much as she disliked Hiro. He seemed to detest her very presence, and Duo loathed her.

It was a very hard thing, to be hated when you were only seven years old. But those two were the only ones she had been able to see over the years, and although talking to the servants helped a bit, because of their kindness to her, it didn't help fill the void that real friends required. As the poor befuddled princess sat silently crying with her red stuffy nose, she saw movement. A girl, about her age, with long silver pale hair, walked beside a cloaked old man. Were they lost? But before Relena could move forward to help them, the two had walked deeper into the forest, and were gone from her view.

Sniffing and wiping her nose on her sleeve, Relena stood up from her hiding place and turned to find Duo standing there, slightly abashed, but his eyes glinted with fury. He kicked the snow, and then looked up at her, arms crossed over his small chest.

'I'm sorry.' The words sounded forced, but Relena didn't care. She gave another gulp, and tried not to cry in front of the boy that had tormented her year after year, from snakes in her bed, to ice cold water in her bath. Of course, Hiro had done worse.

'Can we go back to the castle?' Relena asked, looking around, and seeing her footprints. She had though herself to be lost, but really, all she had to do was follow her own boot-prints in the snow. Duo snorted, and walked back the way he had come.

Relena trudged back alone, and silently counted days on her fingers through the thick wool mittens. Four-five-six. She grinned. Tomorrow was the day she went home! To the bright court, to her flower garden, to her….embroidery. The hope that had begun to inflate in Relena popped, and she sighed, her breath clouding the air in front of her.

As she neared the main gates, she saw her father talking to Queen Catherine, with Hiro and Duo next to her. Both had dour looks on their faces. She grinned, and ran forward to her father.

'Relena!' he exclaimed, and hugged her tight, she smiled with joy, her clouds of exhales surrounding her cherubic face. 'I'm glad to see you enjoyed your fun with the boys.' He continued; a happy glint shone in his clear blue eyes.

Immediately, she made a scowling face, and stuck out her tongue. Hiro did the same, but Duo put his fingers to his ears and flapped them up and down. He looked so ridiculous that Relena giggled. Not seeing the scowl, but hearing the giggle, King Argle smiled happily at the two children.

'Catherine, I was wondering next year if you would be so happy to bring Hiro to our castle? You know you are welcome to come, but I would never wish to over stay our welcome. Our castle is reasonably furnished, for as many guests as you wish to bring, and I believe Relena would like to spend a winter in her own forest.' He said, grinning and winking to the Queen, who nodded and smiled at the idea. It had been seven years since the reception hall, and the two had grown close as they watched their children scuffle and fight. They seemed to be as opposite as could be, but Argle remained hopeful. Now that Relena had come to Hiro's home for seven years, it would be Hiro's turn. Argle stroked his graying beard as he thought of what would follow. Alternating the housing castle had seemed like a good idea at the time, but Catherine had been ill for several winters, and the King and his daughter had visited instead.

Relena gave her father a quick hug, then dashed inside to the kitchens. The boys, seeing where she was headed, followed, hoping to trip her into some flour. Catherine, seeing the two trouble-makers off, sighed.

'Are you well, Catherine?' The king asked, mindful of her health.

'I'm fine Argle. But just look at those two scamps!' She ran a hand through her long, graying hair. She wasn't that old, she had outlived her first husband, the king. And now her son was driving her insane! 'Argle, do you think this will really work? Do you think they'll actually wed and combine our kingdoms one day?' He watched her silently and motioned for her to take a seat on one of the benches in front of the great entrance.

'Catherine, what's gotten into you? The children will wed, and our kingdoms will unite. Everything will be as we've planned and fine.' He said, taking one of her cold hands and rubbing them with his own giant ones. For a man, he was proud, and tall and strong. Even as he grew older, he tried not to let the feebleness of senility come into his mind.

As the two monarchs sat in the cold outside, Relena sat happily on a chair that was against the warm kitchen walls. She was currently licking a spoon that had bee liberally dipped in apple-filling for the apple dumplings that would follow that night's course. Relena, of course, made a royal mess of herself, as Hiro and Duo pelted each other with balls of dough. Going to get a napkin, the young princess found herself being a target of the soft, clingy dough. Giggling, she picked up a butter tureen, scooped out a chunk, and flung it at Hiro. It landed, with a _splat, _on Hiro's face. He stared at her, dumbstruck, while Duo laughed himself to bits. The butler came in to find Relena on the floor with apple stuffing in her hair, butter smeared over Hiro, and dough quite liberally stuck in Duo's braid.

'Out! OUT!' Roared the enraged butler, who had come down to fetch Prince Yuy and company for dinner. Now, the three children were ushered to their rooms, past their gently smiling parents, to wash up and change.

Hiro and Duo arrived first, the former with a scowl stuck in place at his formal clothes, the latter still frantically tugging on his slightly yeasty braid.

Relena arrived a few moments later in a blue gown that matched her eyes, and a white shawl over that. Sticking her tongue out at Hiro, she sat next to her father, and poured herself a mug of hot cocoa. Hiro sat next to his mother on the other end of the table, with Duo next to him. Dinner was a quiet affair, with talk of travel plans for tomorrow and the next winter.

Relena quietly ate a soft roll, smiling when she thought of the amount of dough still in Duo's hair. Then Hiro scooped out some butter for his roll, and she could tell he was remembering his earlier adventure with the butter in the kitchen.

After dinner came the post-meal affair, where Hiro was required to kiss Relena's cheek goodnight. Relena grudgingly curtsied for the boy, and the boy grudgingly kissed her cheek, after which he rubbed his mouth on his sleeve. He still believed that girl's had cooties. Relena wiped her cheek with a hand furiously, then went into her chambers, to crawl under an assortment of heavy, thick blankets into a cozy cocoon of warmth. Hiro glared at the closed doors, before going to his own chambers, and crawling under his own blankets, to dream of spring.

The next day, the King's carriage arrived and after the waited-for farewells had been carried through, the traveling commenced. Once Relena was safely enclosed in the heated carriage, she looked to her father.

'Is there really a reason for me being there every winter?' She asked, silently thankful that it was only a winter, though she supposed her father had thought of winter because there was little chance of staying outside for long.

'Yes Relena.' He said, silently sighing a sigh of exasperation. 'We've gone over this many times. You know that Prince Hiro would make a fine King? Well, Queen Catherine thinks you will make a good Queen. And so, it would be ideal for the two of you to rule the two kingdoms together.' The king didn't bother trying to explain economics of taxation to his daughter, but she had to know that Hiro was important to their throne, and she to theirs.

The rest of the traveling was done in a much better mood, as Relena chattered about who she would visit, and what plant she would tend to first. As they neared the castle, the king drew himself up, as though he had just remembered something.

'Relena dearest, I've engaged someone's services to protect you.' He said, never minding why she needed to be protected. There would always be zealots out there. 'He's a respectable fighter with an excellent reputation. I'd appreciate it if you took archery lessons from him.'

Relena wrinkled her nose, but nodded. As she stepped from the carriage, a growling voice, dripping with sarcasm, welcomed her.

'Welcome home, _Princess_.'

AN: Leave a review – And guess who the body guard is! I'll give you a holiday cookie if you guess right – With Icing!


	4. Dancing into irony

Authoresses note:

**Red Tail**: Here we are going to eat lunch on holiday. Me with my cheese pizza and her with her spagetti. How she loves noodles, jumpin' jahoozivle! This is my happy rhymm, so have a merry late christmas and a crappy new year all the time!

_Uplifted_: ::Chomps Cheddar and Sour cream chips:: Thanks a crappy rhyme, sister of mine. I can do better, but this fic's been done together. Have a happy holiday season everyone, and don't pass on the deviled eggs (My speciality)!

To those of you who guessed the bodyguard's name correctly, ENJOY YOUR ICED COOKIES! We love you all!

**Standing in the Shadows**,

Chapter Four (by Red Tail)

Relena smiled sweetly. It had already been a year and she was ready to see the Prince of Ellis again. She brushed a long strand of hair that was hanging over her shoulder behind her and looked at the door and then at her bodyguard.

Even after a year, he seemed the same as the day she first met him. His hair was slicked back into a ponytail so his hair was longer than Heero's but not longer than Duo's. Not even Relena had longer hair than Duo Maxwell, for some reason he simply refused to cut it. Her bodyguard's style certainly hadn't changed either; he still wore the same tight fitting black shirt and some baggy white pants held up in place with a black belt. A sword, more like a katana, hung off the belt as his side. It was always present, no matter what circumstance. Well, maybe. Relena didn't quite know what went on 24/7 in her guard's life.

She had learned that the man beside her was very quite and subdued in his nature though he had a thing against women for some reason that the princess certainly didn't want to know about. She just brushed it off as thinking that it was some childhood sweetheart that had cheat on him, ghastly as it sounded. It must have been something bad because he was always ranting about "Injustices" and "weak women" and such, quite annoying. Luckily some of the more harsh words he said were in his native tongue, Chinese, so she didn't comprehend the meaning luckily.

"I dare say," She mocked him, getting his attention almost instantly as he looked at her with fiery black eyes. "Have you see how clean the castle is?"

Wufei grumbled in response and got jabbed sharply by the princess who was giving him a mock-smile. He clenched his teeth and his eye twitched as he forced it into a smile. "Yes, it **is** very clean indeed." He commented in a voice that Relena nearly winced at. It was as though he had just heard nails on a chalkboard.

He **had** to be annoyed; there was a week of preparation for the prince and Queen of Ellis. Locked away in the castle with little freedom during this time, her bodyguard though he was growing lazy without his exercise and rigid schedule of training.

'Spoil sport.' She muttered half-heartedly. "So," She put on a smiling face again as she saw servants scurrying around to make the last adjustments. "Where is my father?" She questioned her ever-knowing bodyguard.

"In the library last time I saw him. In fact, I do believe that he's coming down the hall way right now after scolding a servant." He told her, still at her side like a good guard dog—er—person. She giggled at the thought of him as a puppy dog. She lifted her hand to suppress her giggles, earning a raised eyebrow from Wufei.

"What is wrong with you?" He hissed at her as some servants walking by trying to hide the fact that they were indeed staring at the princess with questions to her behavior in their eyes. Wufei's glare quickly sent them scurrying off to the tasks that they were supposed to be doing.

"Oh, nothing at all." She giggled as her father approached from behind. Hearing his footsteps, she spun on her heel to face her slightly surprised father. "Father!" She exclaimed happily. "When will the guest's be arriving?" She questioned him with a heart-stopping smile on her face.

"Soon, daughter dear." He told her, patting her on the shoulder and then walking off to check and make sure that everything was in proper order. The last time that Heero Yuy had come was a disaster when Relena took out her paint set. Her father shuddered at the mere thought. It had taken seven weeks to get the red and other colors out of the princess's hair. Of course anyone would be livid if that happened to him or her.

Then the trumpet's sounded and the King quickly drew his thoughts to an end and walked briskly up to the giant oak doors when the guards opened them for his Excellency to leave the castle.

The door to the carriage opened and an older looking Queen Catherine walked out elegantly, her grace not dulled by her years. She smiled full-heartily at the King and then looked at the still open door behind her. The King blinked in surprise when he saw a fifteen year old Heero Yuy step out of the carriage lightly, grace and strength emitting from him regally.

The youth had dressed royally, as expected of him, and had certainly grown to be handsome. He couldn't wait until the prince met his daughter and got to see how much that had grown. He laughed at the thought; hopefully they would be more civilized now that they were older. 'Hopefully.' The King exhaled with a sigh.

Heero bowed slightly before the king and then took his mother's hand as she smiled at him. The King couldn't help but notice the slightly colder look in Heero's eyes, all the childhood amusement seemed to be gone. The teenager turned around slightly, as if waiting for someone or something.

"Hey, Heero!" A voice called as a braided boy stumbled out of the carriage with a fighting and biting cat in his arms. "I think your cat doesn't like me. At all." He commented as he let the cat fall to his feet after raising it over his head first. Landing on all fours, the cat hissed at the braided man and jumped over to it's owner and master. Heero smiled slightly as the cat found itself by his master's side, purring slightly.

"No, I think he **does** like you." Heero said with light amusement. Duo glared at him and Heero let out a slight laugh. Duo grumbled about 'evil cats from hell' and then followed behind the prince, glaring at the cat. The creature hissed. Duo hissed back. The cat's hair stood on it's small form. The orange fur looked like it increased its body mass twice or so. Duo's eye twitched and he hissed and shook his braid.

"Stop messing with my cat." Heero joked to his friend. "I think your scaring him." Duo snorted.

"Right," The braided teenager said. Words dripping with sarcasm. "I think you got it the other way around, lover-boy." Heero's eyes turned cold again as he detached himself from the slight conversation Duo was trying to make with him.

Heero let his mother lead him slightly to the castle and Duo followed behind before catching up to his friend's side. The cat hissed at him, warning him about the territory he was trespassing over into.

"Good day, Heero Yuy." A lovely voice said as Heero looked up at the princess. He held his surprise inside, his cold exterior remaining the same as always. She had grown, obviously. Her hair reached down past her shoulder blades. Her features were more cherubic and she had lightly toned skin, not covered with freckles that she had when she was eight.

She smiled and Heero looked at her quizzically. When did she become so…grown up? It was slightly startling. She was wearing a blue gown that hugged her waist before flowing out, complementing her eyes and making her hair even more elegant. It had been curled slightly in a non-natural way and the ribbons to hold it in place showed her obvious like to the color blue even more. Heero nodded in response to her greeting but didn't bother saying anything as he helped his mother towards the castle.

Though she was obviously feeling much better and the sickness gone from her body, it left her slightly frail. Over the months of her sickness Heero had trained rigorously as he needed to protect her in her weakened state.

Relena couldn't help but stare at the boy, no man, in front of her. His shoulders were wider slightly and his eyes seemed an even deeper color. When did he grow up? He and her had met every summer but she hadn't even seen him growing up in front of her. She felt an odd, almost giddy feeling inside her as she looked at him. His hair was still as unruly as ever and it fell over his eyes, obviously still untamed by a comb. His body was more muscular, having most likely been training, and a sword hung at his side now. She had heard rumors of him being in his army for a few months. The Queen couldn't have her only heir dying now could she so he was quickly retrieved, reprimanded of course for his insolence.

She blinked and realized that Heero was already in front of her, ready to make the proper greeting they were accustomed with over the many years, missing the knowing look in Heero's mother's eyes and her father's.

"Good day, princess." Heero said and she smiled in return to his formal greeting. His voice was blank but it was so lovely, much deeper and richer. She liked how it sounded compared to when he was a child. Then again, she blinked when she realized she couldn't remember how it sounded. After things come so granted…you begin to forget how special it is.

Heero grabbed her hand lightly and her hand tingled in his with warmth. He kissed it lightly and elegantly, no funny faces made to this formal requirement. He certainly had grown up that was for sure! "Prince Heero," Relena curtsied. "I hope that you ventured well on your journey over here."

"We did," He told her politely, his mother smiling at his behavior. Duo snorted lightly at this and then smiled at the princess, bowing in a smooth motion, which almost made her giggle. "I think that my mother is weary though." Heero told Relena, glancing slightly at Duo who grinned.

"Oh!" Relena exclaimed. "Of course she is! You must all be tired from your journey!" She said as she quickly told the servants politely to get their luggage and bring them to their accommodations.

"I'm dead." Duo commented as Heero lead his mother to her room. "What about you?"

"No," Heero told him without emotion, really not tired at all since it was midday. "I think I'm going to go for a walk in the forest." He said.

Relena looked at him with a smile on her face. He didn't seem anything at all like the Heero Yuy she had known as a child. "Would you mind if I were to accompany you?" She questioned politely as ever, hoping he would allow her to come with him.

"Of course not, Princess." He told her and Duo yawned, hopping on his bed and closing his eyes as soon as he reached his room located next to Heero's.

"And this will be your room." She told him lightly as she opened up the curtains and let the sun light drift in, the view of the looming forest creating a breath taking view.

"Thank you." He told her as he looked at his luggage and took off his cape and some extra garments not needed for a walk through the forest.

The dark clothing that he wore made him seem like a dark prince. 'Dark,' Relena commented in her mind. 'But handsome too.' She added. After her thoughts came dwindling to an end, she noticed that he had already walked out the door and was waiting for her to follow.

"Sorry," She mumbled to him in apology for making him wait. He nodded, not really listening to her apology and not caring if she made him wait or not. In truth, while she was obliviously standing there, Heero got a good look at her. She was indeed just like the ugly duckling from the story that turned into a swan. A very beautiful swan at that.

The made their way out of the castle, the servants looking at them with hope shimmering greatly in their eyes with the thoughts of 'TAX BREAKS!' on their minds. They them jovially went about to complete the task of making the dinner for the two teenagers and the guests.

"It's beautiful." Heero commented as they made their way down a trail. He stopped in a clearing where a creek was trickling over the ice pieces that had broken off due t the constant motion and churning of the waters. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, letting his breath puff out in front of him. The cool air nipped at his nose like a dog would, playfully of course. He opened his eyes again and glanced at Relena, his prussian eyes sparkling with enchantment that nearly made Relena's heart leap out of her chest.

Heero turned his head as he felt someone's eyes on them, yet just blinked in surprised slightly when he saw nothing. He had gained lot of training over the short amount of time he had with his mentor, Odin Lowe. He had grown less childish when he put him mind to it. He could still remember his first day in the battlefield but he shut off that train of thought quickly.

"Heero?" Relena questioned as she looked at him. He jerked his head up and nodded at her, showing nothing was wrong at all. Relena smiled and turned back to the stream. She smiled as she bent down and took a handful of crisp snow into her hands and blew it across the stream's edge. She smiled when the tiny snowflakes flittered through the air gently.

She sat down on a rock that was dry as she looked down at the ice now beneath her feet. Turning, she motioned for Heero to come and join her. He sat down, his combat boots different from Relena's petite snow fashion display.

"I heard that you were in the army for a few months." She commented, trying to fill the silence flowing around them in a strong aura.

"Yeah," He said. "It was…different." He told her, slightly detached from her still which she obviously noticed though subtly. "Have you been well?" He questioned, changing the topic.

She smiled at him. "Oh yes," She said, splashing her shoes a little bit in the stream and hitting some detached ice pieces. "I have a garden, it's very beautiful. There's this one flower. It's been alive for over seven years now." She smiled at him with this as she noted how the flower's color was almost the same as Heero's eyes.

"Seven years?" Heero said, raising an eyebrow to this. "Isn't that quite long for a flower?"

"Yes it is." She told him with a warming smile. The wind then, rushing down into the valley's frozen forest, sweetly and softly twirled the maidens honey hair around and Heero's slightly spiked hair also. "But this flower means a lot to me." She told him as her aquamarine eyes glimmered as she turned her head up to the sky blue sky and caught a small snowflake on her tongue.

"Why?" He questioned her, not understanding how a flower can mean a lot to a person. It made no sense to him one bit. Why keep a flower precious to you if it's just going to die?

"Because…" Relena began, slightly taken aback by the comment. "Well…" She tried again yet stopped and uttered a few incoherent words before trying to explain it again. "Hmm..." She wondered aloud. "I don't know, I guess that I have a bond with it." She told him. "I guess its kind of hard to place into words without confusing people." She sighed heavily with that said.

"Like Wing." Heero commented to himself seemingly as he stared into the frozen forest in front of him. His feet dangled above the water, not dipped in slightly like the princess's even though he knew both her and his shoes were water resistance.

"Excuse me?" She questioned, wanting to know whom this 'Wing' character was. "Wing? Who is that?"

"Wing is my cat." Heero explained to her. Relena thought for a moment, trying to remember a cat. "The one that was attacking Duo earlier, when we first arrived." He explained further, hoping he wouldn't have to go more in-depth.

"Oh, yes!" Relena commented as she giggled at the thought. "So, Wing is you cat?" Heero nodded. "A cute name." She told him getting a slight smile from him with an ever so slight nod. She smiled again, the same smile that she gave her father earlier.

She and him continued conversing, not even noticing a pair of glassy blue eyes that noted their every word and movement into the enigma's memory. The birds chirped angrily at the figure though it could only sound sweet for the singing birds sounded just the same when angry.

"Well," Heero old her after a few hours had passed. He helped Relena to her feet. "We should most likely be getting back at this time." The slightly reddened sky told them that it was about time for them to get ready for the dinner party tonight.

Relena then noticed she hadn't removed her hand from his but she just smiled, not wanting to release it. He didn't seem to mind or even notice for that matter. She sighed inwardly, slightly afraid of rejection.

Heero then lead her off towards the castle that seemed to beacon to them to hurry. The glassy blue eyes narrowed when they took everything in; the smiles, the giggles, the look on the princess's face, the hands in each other's. It made the person want to be sick. 'Then again,' A low and dark laugh crept out of the throat of the spy and the figure quickly melted back into the shadows. 'This isn't over yet…'

Back at the castle, the princess and prince were met with smiling but hurried movements as the servants rushed to perform their final duties to get ready for the Winter Festival hosted tonight.

After being whisked off to their own chambers to prepare hastily for the ball, they were placed side by side to enter the halls together. Duo Maxwell, Heero noticed, was no where to be seen. That meant that the braided boy was up to something, most likely annoying the hell out of the cooks or flirting with the female servants. Heero sighed in exasperation. Hopefully Wing didn't kill the boy already.

As the two royal figures walked into the spacious dining hall, they couldn't help but notice the eyes of the other guests that already arrived for the royal feast on themselves.

Heero looked at Relena and noticed she had a slight blush on her cheeks, and Heero was smart enough to know that the excuse she would most likely use was from the cold, yet he wouldn't buy it. He raised an eyebrow and Relena blushed even more frivolously. He rolled his eyes slightly at this. 'Women confuse me sometimes, but Relena is something else.' He thought and added to himself secretly and in little more than a mere whisper, 'Something in a good way.'

"They're staring at us…" Relena said through a smile to Heero who was still at her side. She sneaked a small look at the handsomely prince and looked away quickly when she could have sworn her father had grinned happily at her action. 'What is going on here?' She wondered.

"Yeah…" Heero said as he sat down beside Relena who was at her father's side and him at his mother's. "Do you know why?" He questioned as he leaned close to her so that their parent's wouldn't be able to hear their conversation. He grabbed the wine bottle he had reached to get and poured a little bit in his already quite full cup. 'What the hell is going on? All this attention is creeping me out…' He thought as he shifted slightly in his chair.

"I don't know." Relena told him as she leaned over to grab the wine bottle that he had taken from her when he told her the answer to her question.

"Darling," Queen Catherine scolded slightly at her son. "You **really** shouldn't drink so much. It can't be good for your health at such a tender age." With the word tender she looked at the King at Relena's side who smiled as if in tune with her thoughts.

"Mother," Heero said, talking to his mother in hushed tones as the festival went on all around him. People were dressed in elegant gowns, though none matched the beauty of the Princess at his side. "What is going on?" He questioned, refraining from using vulgar words at a party or in the presence of his mother.

"Huh?" His mother questioned back with a false innocent look in her eyes. "Whatever do you mean?" She asked him back but before Heero could comment back, she had already placed herself in a conversation with the Duke of Amor. He glared slightly, knowing now more then ever that something was up. His mother just didn't dodge things like that unless she was plotting something big and drastic.

"Heero," Relena laid a hand lightly on his upper arm, trying to get his attention back from creeping the Duke out with his death glare. "Are you all right?" She questioned kindly.

He looked back at her and nodded, looking at the blue dress she had changed into after they arrived shortly. He was wearing dark colors again, deep blues that brought out his eyes, and black to bring out the dark color of his hair. Sometimes he wore white and gold, but he didn't feel the need to at this banquet. "Just a little bored is all." He told her as he sipped some wine as the music floated over to him in waves. The violin was performing a solo currently that flowed like wine off the strings.

"Well, if you're so bored," Relena told him. "Then would you care to dance?" She questioned with a smile that Heero couldn't say 'no' to at all.

"Of course," He teased back slightly. "My lady." He joked, getting up from his seat with a slight bow to her and gaining the eyes of Relena's parent and his own as they both smiled knowingly at one another past the two teenagers.

"But of course, my lord." She said, now standing with a slight curtsy before taking the hand of Heero's in her own petite one.

They both walked off to the dance floor as another slow song started and they swayed to the sweet melody in perfect harmony unlike some poor women and men who were going to have major toe aches the next day.

"Isn't that Prince Heero?" A woman sighed in response to that with a small nod of her head. "Lucky, isn't that princess."

"Well of course they would be together!" Another exclaimed almost harshly. "Princesses **always** marry princes." She snorted. "What do you expect?"

The other women didn't say anything but soon decided to gossip on other matters. A pair of violet eyes glimmered in the darkness as the person stepped out of the shadows, grinning like a mad man. Of course, a hissing cat came behind, claws extended and ready, understanding soon as to what the cat's enemy was gazing at; her master and friend.

The person walked over to the table where the Queen was as he grinned to her, waving slightly as took a seat that was Relena's who wasn't occupying it at the moment. The cat slid silently onto the spot next to the boy, recognizing the scent of Heero on the chair it was sitting on and snuggling into the plush cotton.

Duo looked at the cat and relaxed slightly wincing as he looked at the many scratches covering his arms. He looked at his feet and debated with himself whether or not to put them on the table. He knew better than that to do something like that at a big party such as the Festival of Holidays. He sighed and grinned as he put his feet on the table. Okay, so he didn't know any better.

The Queen shot Duo a dirty look which made him look at her sheepishly as he pulled his feet from the table and got a hiss from the cat at his actions. He glared and stuck his tongue back out before looking at the figures on the dancing floor.

He smiled and noted how Relena and Heero made a good couple, despite their rocky past with one another. He grinned when he remembered all the snowballs they had gotten her with.

He sighed at the memory before digging into as much food he could possibly eat tonight without throwing up. What was the point of eating food if it just came back up the other way? He always wondered himself about that but looked at Relena and Heero again as he bit off a chunk of meat from a turkey leg. The cat hissed at him, half asking for a bite and half threatening pain if not given. Of course Duo ignored this all together. Then the cat bit him, again. He glared and threw a piece of meat at the cat who happily mewed and then started eating it's dinner until his master fed him.

Sighing, Duo turned away. 'Well, what do you know... Dinner and a show.' Duo grinned as he watched the prince and princess twirl to the music in perfect sync.

TBC

Enjoyed the long chapter? Reviews are much appreciated!


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